Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-15
THE tIfDNS
Upon which the two nIole- VIII be hanged
Next Month Almost Comyleted-"h hat
the Doomed Men say If Their Fate.

Yesterday uorkinen TOR Jackson q Plank
were making the enclosure in which on the
5ih of next month the two Semlnoies, Johh
Washington and Simmones Wolf viii be
hung.
This enclosure, which is erected on the
west side OF the jail, is thirty feet east ara
west and fifty north and south 1t IS sixteen
| feet in height, made from pine boards, and
will be without Any covering over head
In the centre OF this enclosure Will be
erected the galows upon which the execution
| Is TO take place.
| The platform is eight feet square; IN the
| centre i, the lid two and a halt by five. Inc
platform will be placed upon beams seven
and a half feet above the ground and VIII be
reached by : airway of eight steps. The
two main side be ins are made from solid
wood and are fourteen feet in length. The
cross beam, which, is also OF the best
wood is braced at each end TO the side beams,
and has two grooves near the middle,
over which the ropes will pass. la the rear
of the platform is the lever by which the
trap will be operated
pieted this forenoon at 10 O'Clock and every
thing made ready TOR the execution
On he eighth of next month, il in the
M .antime there be no reprieve by the presi-
dent of the U. s., within this enclosure the
40 Seminoles will meet the punishment Tor
t,eir crime. Their crime, as has been sew
eral times stated before, was the rape of
white woman some time ago within the Ter
ritory, this offense being by the statutes OF
United States punishable with death. The
execution will he in charge OF Deputy U. 3.
Marshal Sharrett aud no one Will b. admit
ted TO the execution except the oulcers anu
representatives OF the press.
Confined In the south cell of the jail Wlthln
hearing of the hammer strokes ana Wlthlh
view OF their death pen are the two doomed
mrn Entering tho jail and passing upon the
upper corridor, Ed, the jailer, called for
John Washington. He will not come up
uaiess YOU give him something" exclaimed
on. of his fellow prisoners Nevertheless
pair of small CLASSY eyes peered through the
bars OF the cell. They belonged to heavy
set, boyi>h looking CURE whose heavy bps
seemed scarcely To move a. he replied Here
SIR 10 the call. The workmen outside could
be plainly heard as they haik
the boards TO the enclosure. 'Do you hear
that outside, JohnI' He looked around and
tried to g,.s a better view Of the interior.
After Remaining silent for a few moments
he ,rpeat,-d in a husky voice, Yes, am
glad TO see it 20 up, a man has only one tline
10 die"
Are you ready to die?' Yes, l am not
cong to make any fuss about 1t.
Does your mother know anything of
father Neither has Simmons; we are
orphans | don't suppose there Is anyone
chat cares for us at all
Dbl YOU ever make an application to the
president to have your sentence changed to
IMPRISONMENT for life?'
Yes. [ wro0e once To the president myself
asking aim To have mercy upon me and SIM
none'
II wrote to him, too, said a small man
who gave hi, nam, as \. ". Gitiin. Il am
% newhat OF u lawyer, although don't look
maah IKE II no.v, penned ut' here. told the
president that they had no. been given fair
Iriai and asked that he Commute the sentence
I'd IMPRISONMENT for life, but he gave no
reply
..Did you write your own letter, Wash
lngton Z"
.'Ye>.n and he took a slip OF paper, wrote
ais name in "A clear, legiple hand, and passed.
II 1hroush th.. ba,s Il wa, educated III the
Baptist mission at Wevo&a III tn, Te ritory,
AID was still only 81 school boy when L was
urnu2 ht mere am eiSntren and Simmons
is nineteen; he was roaming around the
country and working sometimes upon II
arm
Would you ike to see ministers!
'Ye>, | would like To see Btp-
fist preacher Not long ago a
man came up here. kuciJ down upon tue iioor
of rhe cell an prayed, while me au' Simmons
kneit down too But do an! SO does oIni-
mons want To see "a good minister before we
die Tnen they potn Went back into their
cells rs ii 10 get away from the gloomy
sights aud sounds without.
Ell saws ha5 the BOYS have behaved them
selve, Wi lur8nc their confinement, ana
SCENE perfectly re>ignei TO their tate, say
lug little 10 any of ths o'h.r prisoners, but
apparently firmly attached 20 one auo. her.